Verification method and apparatus

ABSTRACT

A method of verifying the integrity of an item of value received at a destination location following transfer from a source at location is described. The method comprises carrying out one or more verification steps, at least one of which ( 26 ) comprises determining whether the time of arrival ( 22 ) of the item of value at the destination location satisfies a predetermined condition.

The present invention relates to methods and apparatus to enable secure,auditable, efficient and cost effective movement of items of value.

The present invention will be described in the context of a retailapplication. It should be noted, however, that the invention could beapplied in non-retail applications. Indeed the invention could beapplied in any environment where items of value are transported andtherefore exposed to risk of theft or tampering. Items of value in thiscontext include bank notes, cheques, vouchers, stamps, fiscal stamps,coins, casino chips, lottery tickets, scratch cards and the like. Theinvention in its widest sense could also be envisaged to relate to othervaluable items that are transported under secure conditions such asgemstones, precious metals and the like.

Items of value such as cash (coins and banknotes) are typicallytransported in a secure manner in tamper evident and secure containers.However it is known for individuals to open such containers withoutcompromising the physical security measures. The recipient will thenreceive and accept the items not knowing that the container has beencompromised.

GB-A-2280056 describes a security container containing a timer whichincorporates a sensor for detecting motion of the container and which isoperable to enable the timer to run only when the container is inmotion. If the timer exceeds some predetermined value, then it ispossible that the security container has been compromised.

In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, a method ofverifying the integrity of an item of value received at a destinationlocation following transfer from a source location comprises carryingout one or more verification steps, at least one of which comprisesdetermining whether the time of arrival of the item of value at thedestination location satisfies a predetermined

There are a variety of ways in which the predetermined condition can bedefined. For example, the verification process may be programmed toexpect to receive the item of value at a certain absolute time. Thus forexample it may be expecting a particular item of value between 6 pm and7 pm on a particular day. This time may be set independently or, morecommonly, will be communicated to the destination location, for exampleon or in a container holding the item of value.

Alternatively, the predetermined condition is determined in response tothe time at which the item of value leaves the source location. Thus,once that time is known, the time of arrival of the destination locationcan be predicted and that part of the verification process will besatisfied if the item of value arrives within a predetermined toleranceof the expected time.

Details of the predetermined condition could be stored in a memory, forexample having been communicated from the source location, the memorybeing sited at the destination location or in a separate host accessibleboth by the verification process and from the source location. Inaddition, or alternatively, details enabling the predetermined conditionto be determined can be provided in association with the item of value.For example, the details could be provided on or in a package containingthe item of value. This could be done by way of a code such as a barcode, it being preferred that the information is given in a covertmanner. Alternatively, the information could be contained within amemory chip such as an RFID on or in the package.

The data enabling the predetermined condition to be determined couldconstitute the expected arrival time of the destination location, thetime at which the item of value left the source location, and the like.

The item of value may be verified directly but typically will be securedwithin a package, the method condition, characterised in that thepredetermined condition is defined by an absolute time period withinwhich the item of value is expected.

The invention introduces an event timing process as a means to provide ameasure of the risk that an item of value is no longer genuine, forexample a container or package has been tampered with.

1. A method of verifying the integrity of an item of value received at adestination location following transfer from a source location, themethod comprising carrying out one or more verification steps, at leastone of which comprises determining whether the time of arrival of theitem of value at the destination location satisfies a predeterminedcondition, characterised in that the predetermined condition is definedby an absolute time period within which the item of value is expected.2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined conditioncomprises the expected length of time between the item of value leavingthe source location and arriving at the destination location.
 3. Amethod according to claim 1, wherein details of the predeterminedcondition are stored in a memory at the destination location.
 4. Amethod according to claim 1, wherein details of the predeterminedcondition are provided in association with the item of value.
 5. Amethod according to claim 1, wherein the item of value is secured withina package, the method comprising determining whether the time of arrivalof the package at the destination location satisfies a predeterminedcondition.
 6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the details of thepredetermined condition are provided on or in the package.
 7. A methodaccording to claim 5, wherein the package is tamper evident.
 8. A methodaccording to claim 1, wherein details relating to the predeterminedcondition are communicated from the source location to the destinationlocation.
 9. A method according to claim 8, wherein the details compriseone or more of the time of departure from the source location, theexpected time of arrival at the destination location, and the length oftime between leaving the source location and arriving at the destinationlocation.
 10. A method according to claim 1, wherein the item of valuecomprises cash, for example coins and/or banknotes.
 11. A methodaccording to claim 1, wherein the source location comprises one of aretail till, retailer back office, cash-in-transit centre, and financialinstitution such as a bank.
 12. A method according to claim 1, whereinthe destination location comprises one of a retail till, retailer backoffice, cash-in-transit centre, and financial institution such as abank.
 13. Apparatus for verifying the integrity of an item of valuereceived at a destination location following transfer from a sourcelocation, the apparatus comprising a verification system for carryingout one or more verification steps, at least one of which comprisesdetermining whether the time of arrival of the item of value at thedestination location satisfies a predetermined condition.
 14. Apparatusaccording to claim 13 for carrying out a method verifying the integrityof an item of value received at a destination location followingtransfer from a source location, the method comprising carrying out oneor more verification steps at least one of which comprises determiningwhether the time of arrival of the item of value at the destinationlocation satisfies a predetermined condition, characterised in that thepredetermined condition is defined by an absolute time period withinwhich the item of value is expected.
 15. An item of value transfersystem comprising apparatus according to claim 13 located at adestination location; and a source location from which items of valueare transferred to the destination location.